hanch



April 24, 192s. 1,667,548

C. C. HANCH' PISTON Filed Jan 5. 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 1 Y w M 1 1 1 A l A l fyi f www WWm m L .Q www, u, .n w 2 -..nu

A Q n Z;

Apri124, 192s.

C.. C. HANCH PISTON Filed Jan. 5. 1.924

Sheets-Sheet 2 M mm ATTORNEY.

Patented Apr. r:24, 192e.

UNITED STATES CI-IARLES C. RANCH, OF INDIANAPOLS, INDIANA.

` Piemon,

.application inea January 5, i924. serial N0. 684,639.

Owing to the lact that pistons ol internalV with such pistons, resulting in oil puinp-` ing, piston slaps, blow by, cranlncase dilution, ineti'ective and/or unequal compression, loss of power,`chaiing or galling, with the resultant scoring of pistons and cylinder walls.

Oil pumping results 'from an excess quantity of oil passing the piston into the combustion chamber, which results in an eX- cessive consumption ot oil, fouling of spark plugs, 'coating ot carbon on valves, piston heads, and combustion chamber, and smoky and clogged exhaust from the muilier.

Piston slaps usually result from too great clearance between the piston and the cylinder wall, untrue or distorted pistons, and lack of eiiicient liibrication between the piston and the cylinder wall.

Blow by usually results `from defective piston rings, improper fitting of such rings, impropen design of such rings, improper design ot" pistons, undesirable openings in the `walls olf pistons, irregularities of the cylinder bore., and lack of efficient lubrica tion between thepiston and cylinder wall,

all ot which causes inei'l'ective and/or un equal compression, unequal power impulses, loss or power, and crank-case dilution and/or contamination; the last being the result ol the passage between the piston and `the cylinder wall or condensation and uns burned 'fuel `ironi the combustion chamber,

into the oil supply at the bottom of the crank be determined as a coinpii'omise between the too great clearance which produced slapping and usually produced blow by and oil pumping, and the too little clearance which resulted in the` scoring or the piston and cylinder wall by, the chaling oli' the piston against the cylinder. This compromise was never a cure as it merely lessened one evil at the expense ot increasing another. Manul'acturers ol internal cioinbustion engines have heretofore been compelled to werkconstantly between a slap and a score.` y

Engines assembled according` to usual practice are 'frequently seriously damaged during block test and must be driven with great care tor a considerable distance to prevent serious injury. Even it they are broken in without damage, after a comparatively ifew thousand mil-es of use, they7 de* velop piston slaps and other troubles as a result ot' slight wear, necessitating replac ing the pistons and rings, regrinding of cylinders, or both.

ln fact, prior to my invention socalled excessive clearance oli' the piston was considered an evil to be avoided. I have now discovered how to take advantageof large clearance andA produce a piston which will not pump oil, slap, score, or permit blow by with the resultant crank-case dilution, and loss oit compression and power.`

lt is an objectot this invention to provide a piston iorinternal combustion engines so designed that it will `iloat in oil in its 'operation with relatively large clearance, and without slapping, oil pumping or blow by. More spcciiically the object oi' the invention is -to provide such a piston which will oper ate successfully without slapping and`blow by,with more clearance than is usually permissible; which will ve maximum lubrication between the piston and the cylinder wall substantially throughout the length of the piston and without permitting an excessive quantity oli oil to Vpass 'the piston into the combustion chamber; which will provide an etlective oil seal tofprevent blow by and at the same time provide proper relietfor excessive oil pressure creat-ed by the scraping or packing action or the piston rings on the downward stroke (away from the cylinder head) of the piston; and which will provide an ample oil supply iter lubricating the cylinder wall on the upward stroke and for effectively lubricating the wristpin; the accomplishment of these objects providing a piston assembly oit unusuallylong liife.

The clearance between `the piston and the cylinder wall, either normal or excessive is only a few thousandths oi an inch. rlhe distance :troni the bottom ring at the head of the piston to the bottoni ot' the slrirt, however, is usually a matter ci' several inches. Thus the annular clearance space is thouill) lll)

sands of times as long as it is wide or thick. Assuming that this space has within it a quantity of lubricating oil and the piston is about to commenceY its downward stro re (away from, the cylinder head), the piston ring or rings are required to shave this lihn' wallof the `con'ibustion chamber as the pis-fl tondescends, it should be kept at a minimum; otherwise it will tend-toV cause carbeniia'tion `and its attendantevils.

1n the lordinary close-iittingpiston thev oil thus shaved olf accumulates in the clearance space below the rings and Vhas but one theoretical source el escape; itl must flowV down the f ilearar'ice space moving along the surf face of the cylinder wa'll because ol the motion of ,the piston. As a matter ot hydraulics it can readily be seen thatthe oil pressure below theV bottoininost piston ring risesto a very high point, due in part to the pressure required to move :the oil down through'ethe long narrow or thin clearance space, vand in part to the inertia el the oil' because .at the start 'of the downward stroke the oil Vis at rest. This high pressure tends to lift the piston ring (that is, to cause it to back radially away from the cylinder walh) and such "liting allows an excessive quancity-of oil\to lflow past 'the piston ringer rings into Vthe combustion chamber. As a matter off tact when the ordinary pistonis normally expanded byheat, the top part ot the skirt, the lands Abetween rings, and the outer `face or the rings form a substantially unbroken kstraight `line which readily permits passage of an excess quantity of oil into the combustion chamber, and or fluids from thefcornbustion chamber into the crank case. A l

"I `am' aware Lt-hat attemptsl have been .ina de tocure Vthis evil by forming' a groove below` a 'piston ring with relatively large ports from this groove or yfrom the piston-ring groove itself to the vinterior of the piston. In so ar'as relieving the high 4 pressure o'if the' oil and tending to prevent excessive' quantity of oil from getting by the rings into the combustion chamber, such an arrangementworls with soine degree et success; but it still Vrequires a close clearance ("teprevent-piston slap) with its attendant evils, because this arrangement scrapes oii and allows the .free escape of a certain amount of oil adhering tothe cylinder walls. Suchl an arrangement whilepreventing to some extent` an excessive Vcpiantity ol oil from getting bythe Vrings into the combustion chamber, at the same time reduces the effective packing action of -the rings and kpermits blow yby with the consequent cranlecase dilution and loss of compression and power.

In carrying out my invention I provide a plurality o'ipiston ringsat the head end ol side el" the lowerinost piston ring, that is lo say, at 'the side of the piston ring wlurh is remote r'roin vthe piston head, l provide n circumferential channel, groove, or passagcway, either in the wall of the piston or in |the piston ring or in both, for carrying the oil circuinlerentiallyg and l provide :i rcservoir into which this cii'ciiiii'lbi'eiitial chain nel, groove, or passageway leads. '.lhe length ot circumferential travel of the oil in this channel, groove or passageway cnn be varied by making the upper port-ion o'l the reservoir wider or narrower as may be required, thereby controlling llie liow oil the oil to any desired degree. The flow and pressure of the oil in the circuin'lfercnti:il channel, groove or passageway, and in the reservoir may also be varied and controlled by varying the capacity of the reservoir by iii-airing it wider, longer, or deeper or vice versa, resulting in ability to meter the oil which passes the piston rings into the coinbustion chamber. Ilhis reservoir is pre'lcrably` a depression in the outer surface of the piston opposite or around or in the neighborhoodof the end o'll the wrist-pinv` und includes and makes use oi the usual depression at the end of the wrist-pin, and the hole in the wrist-pin if the latter be hollow. The reservoir in turn has one or niore pressurerelie'it passages (which should provide niore than mere capillary relier) which preferably lead to the bearing surfaces oi the wrist/e pin; but when these pressure-relief passages are properly proportioned to maintain snitable eil pressure in the reservoir and grooves, it is not essential that the pressure-rolicl passages lead to the bearing` surface ot the wrist-pin.

'lllierc is also provided between two piston rings nearthe piston head au ample clearance, (that is to say, more clearance than is required lfor expansioin) forininga circumferential oil reservoir or pocket, which may be either in the piston itsclil or in the piston ring or in both. lllhen the circuinltcrcnllul channel, groove or passageway. or oil rcscrvoir or pocket between rings, is wholly or partially in a piston ring, the oil-controlling ability of the aforesaid parts may bc varied by changing the angularity oi the contact Uli lull

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of the cylinder wall and that cylinderengag` ing piston-ring corner which is remote from the piston head.

By this arrangement or any suitable co1n bination of the elements thereof I am able tofloat the large-clearance piston on a substantially unbroken film of oil and yet to prevent excessive lubrication of the combustion chamber, and thus to prevent or minimize carbonization on the piston head, combustion chamber and valves, fouling of the spark plugs, and the like. In my arrangement the piston on its downward stroke, due to its large clearance, has its skirt floating on the cylinder wallin a substantial film of oil. As the piston descends, all but the necessary minimum portion `of this film is shaved off by a piston ring or rings. The oil thus shaved off accumulates in the circumferential channel, groove or passageway, and the reservoir or pocket between rings, under multiple-stage control; but the pressure does not build up excessively because the oil flows through the circumferential channel, groove or passageway' into the reservoir, while the restraining upper portion of the reservoir (the restraining action of which may be either physical or hydraulic or both) and the pressureaelief groove or outletprevent emptying of the circumferential channel, groove or passageway so that it holds oil for lubricating the return stroke of the piston. If this reservoir in its turn had no restraining opening or pressure-relief outlet, it would only be a matter of so many strokes until the reservoir was filled up and excessive pressure would develop; but as the reservoir in turn has relief, the oil cannot rise to objectionable pressures. I believe it is desirable to have the opening for the pressure relief from this reservoir at a point lower than the bottommost piston ring, assuming the piston is operated in the usual position; otherwise the oil forced into the reservoir from the circumferential channel, groove, or passageway will have a tendency to escape immediately because of its inertia and the speed of the descending piston and may not accumulate in the reservoir. At the same time the pressure-relief from the reservoirpreferably should be at a point remote from its lower end assuming the piston is in its usual'position, or the relief at that point must be a restraining one; otherwise the oil in the reservoir will escape in a nonuseful direction. However, the location of the pressure relief outlet may be varied .if properly designed so as to relieve pressure only and not dump the contents of the circumferential channel, groove or passageway, and/or of the reservoir. When the circumferential channel, groove or passageway, reservoir, and pressure-relief outlet are properly arrangedin accordance with my invention, on the rip-stroke of the piston the oil in the circumferential channel, groove, or passageway and/or in the reservoir will return to the clearance space, thus maintaining the oil film upon which the piston floats.

`When aluminum or other light metals or alloys are used in the construction of pistons it has been found in some cases that owing to the excessive expansion `of such metals from heat it is desirable to provide a yielding place in the skirt of the piston. This yielding place is quite commonly provided by slotting the skirt of the piston, frequently in the form of the letter T; but my inven.` tion is not limited to this construction of suoli yielding places. I have found that by providing a dam between such slots and the circumferential channel, groove or passageA way, and the reservoir such slotted pistons function substantially the same as other pistons described in this invention.

My `invention comprises variable means for preserving the film of oil between the piston and the cylinder wall, variable means for removing a portion of `this oil on the down-stroke so that the film which will appear in the combustion chamber is not of undue thickness, variable means for preserving at least a substantial portion of the removed oil upon or within the piston so that it is returned to the clearance space upon the return stroke, and variable means for substantially retaining a relatively large amount of oil between piston rings thus carrying copious lubrication very near to the top of the piston without permitting the passage of an undue amount of oil into the combustion chamber, or passage of gases or unburned fuel into the crank case, means for packing with lubricant under pressure be tween and below piston rings so as to exert effective pressure on plane faces of such rings thereby cushioning the movement of the ring within its respective groove, pro` longing its life and increasing its sealing qualities.

My present invention is to some extent a development and improvement on that shown in my co-pending applications Serial No. 535,115, filed Feb. 7, i922, and Serial No. 564,767, filed May 3l, i922, respectively.

The accompanying drawings illustrate my invention: Fig. l is an elevation of a piston embodying my invention, looking at the end of the wrist-pin, with a fragment of the associated cylinder wall in section, and with the piston rings partially in section; Fig. 2 is a fragmental transverse section substantially on the line 2 2 of Fig. l; Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmental sectional detail of the upper left-hand corner of Fig. l; Figs. Lit to l2 inclusive are fragmentalviews similar to Fig. 3, showing` different constructions embodying iny invention in various forms, the details of the ring and of the adjacent parts of the piston being different in the dif l no llt)

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showing a piston with ,three ,plain rings.

The piston `is fundamentally aV conventonalpiston, with a head21and a skirt22; and it is `provided ator near the head -21 with Y.a plurality Vof `piston ring-,grooves 23-24-25,.shown as ,tivo in nuinberin seine of the figures and .as .three in number in some .of `the other figures. ln the pistonring grooves23-.2l25 are piston rings 26--27-T28, `which correspond in nuinher A with :the pistoirring grooves. lWhen vthere are only two piston rings,`as in Figs. 6, 7, 89, 10, and V11, Ipreferthat such two piston rings 'should' loe alike; rwhile when there are threepiston rings, suchas in Figs. 1, 3, 4, 5, and 12, it is ordinarily desirable that the uppermost 4ring 28be a -plain ring, and that the two .lowerlpiston rings 26 and 27 should be alike; as it is commercially desirable to have no inorethan a single type of special piston ring in'any engine, for convenience in manufacture and assembly.

There are no piston ringsalong the shirt 22,-save at the :topthereof where such skirt merges into the head 21; so that there is an unrestricted passageway 29 for the oil betweenithe slrirti2-2'and the adjacent cylinder wall 30.` :This passageway 29 is the clearance space between the piston shirt and the cylinder `wall,;and is the clearance which it has :heretofore been necessary to maintain `within exceedingly close limits as Va coin- Vpromise, to prevent -ithe evils lmentioned ahove froinhecoining unduly great. Preferaloly the lower corner 22LL ofthe piston skirt 22 ischanifered, as indicated in Figs. 1, 11i, and `16, toprevent such corner from scraping the oil'froin the cylinder wall, and to permit oil splashed from .the cranlrfcase onto vthe cylinder wall toenter .freely ntothe clear` ancespace 219,and to flow along such clearance spaceas far as the lower surface of thc lower piston ring 26.-

'.'lhe piston-ringgreoves 23-24l-25 are separated `loylands S1-32, lwhile above the entir'egroup of piston rings there .is a .land 33. The land 32 is provided, ofcourse, only when there are three ypiston rings. The lands 31-32w33 should all have sufficient clearance from the cylinder `wall so that they never yrule thereoneven when the piston is hot .or out of alinernent; and should also all have greater clearance from the cylinder wall than does the skirt22 of the piston. ln other words, the clearance ,of these lands from the cylinder wall should always be greater than the clearance space 29. In addition, contrary to the usual practice of inalcing these lands with equal clearance, or with greater clearance toward the rtop end ofthe piston or the coinluistion chainher, (ordinary expansion clearance in either caee,) l may reverse this latter, and inalie `a higher land with less clearance than that of a lower land though `the clearaiice of even the higher land or lands is greater than the clearance 2S). This is indicated in Jigs. 1, 3, 1d, 16, and others. The intern'iediate land 32, when lt is provided in a three-ring piston, niayfhave an interniediate clearance between those of the lands l1 and 33, as is indicated in Fig. 1li, or it niay have the saine clearance as one of the adjacent lands, as indicated in 14e, where the intermediate land 3.2 has the saine clearance as has the top land 325. '.lhus, contrary tothe usual practice, a land farther from the combustion chamber niay have a greater clearance than has a land closer to the combustion chamber; forming, as it were, a sort of inverted pyran'iid with respect to those lands. This invertedpyrainid effect niay apply to only two lands or to more than two lands, as desired.

At the lower ledge of the lowernlost piston ring` 2G, there is a circuniferential channel vgroove or passageway into which the clearance space 2S) opens. This circumferential channel groove or passageway conininnicates with `the lower-most piston-ring groove 23, indicated .in all the figures of the drawing; and it inay take various forms, as shown in the different figures of the drawings, and may he .forn'ied either in the piston itself or in the lowerniost piston-ring 26, or in both. Thus it may he fornied partv` ly or wholly by a circuniferential rabhet 35 in the piston proper `just below and in coniniunication with the lewerniost piston-ring groove 23, as indicated in Figs. 1, l, ,t, 5, 0, lil, and 16. Instead of a. rabbet groove, it may take the forni of a siinple circumferential chainfer 35 at that corner where the piston skirt leads into the loui'erlnost pistonring groove 23, as illustrated in Figs. (l, 10. and 12. The rahbet and the chanijrer are probably the simplest fornis, but if desired it inay take various other forms such for example as the circuinferential Virol-toni groove 351 illustrated in Fig, l1. Similarly, if this circumferential channel, groove or passageway is formed partly or wholly in the lowerinost ring` 26, it may likewise lake various forins in the lowerinost outer corner of the pistonring. 'lhus it inay he a circuinferential ralohet groove 3G in that corner of such piston ring, as illustrated in Figs. l, 3, 5, 7, 8, and 9. Or, if partly or Wholly lill loo

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in the piston ring, it may take the form of a circumferential chamfer 36, preferably a set-back chamfer, as illust `ated in Figs. 4, Vl0, and ll; or the form of a circu1nferential curved-bottom groove 36, as illustrated in Fig. 6. This circumferential channel groove or passageway is illustrated in some of the figures as being formed partly in the piston and partly in the rings, as in Figs. l, 3, 4, 5, 6, 9, 16, and ll; but it may be wholly in the ring 26, as illustrated in Figs. 7 and 8; or may 'bewholly in the piston in communication with the lowermost pistonring groove 23, illustrated in Figs. 12,14,

and 16. When` the channel, groove or passageway is partly in the piston proper and partly in the piston ring 26, there is prefer-` ably a slight outward overhang of the pif ton ring 26 over the sidewall ofthe groove 23, at their abutting faces, as is clear from Figs. 3, 4, 5, 6, 9, 10,` and l1.

Various combinations of the different sets of groove-parts in the piston proper and in the piston ring 26 may be made, as illustrated in different figures of the drawing. These need no explanation, and are not all illustrated. Y

The channel, groove or passageway 555-36, in any of its modifications, communicates with an oil-reservoir 37, which is conveniently provided by a shallow depression `in `the outer face of the piston skirt opposite or around or in the vicinity of each end of the wrist-pin 38 -by which the piston isconnected to the usual connecting rod 39, and/or by the hole through the wrist-pin itself if such wrist-pin be hollow. The wrist-pin 38 may be of any suitable form, as explained in my aforesaid co-pending application. The two reservoirs are desirably at or in the vicinity of the two ends of the wrist-pin, and are shown at diametrically opposite points on the piston, and substantially at right vangles to the plane of swing of the connecting rod 39 and to the component of lateral thrust which is exerted on the piston by the oblique reaction from the connecting rod.

The oil-reservoir 37 preferably extends well below the wrist-pin; and it has a ren straining relief outlet, preferably at an in termediate point in its height, provided by oil' grooves 40 which conveniently extend along the bearing surfaces of the wrist-pin. This reservoir-relief 40 serves not only the func tion of permitting some outflow of oil, so

that undue pressure will not be accumulated, i

but the additional function of lubricating the wrist-pin by oilunder forced-feed pressure.

`The oil-reservoir 37 may take either the vform ofha concentric depression, as illustrated kinligs. l and 2, or the form of an eccentricdepression, sometimes wider at the top than at the bottom, as indicated in Figs.;

In either case, (that is, whether the depression forming the oil-reservoir is concentric or eccentric,) I may effectively govern the oil-control action of such reservoir by varying its width, height, and depth, as il* lustrated by the dotted lines of Figs. l, 2, 14, l5, and 16. By making the reservoir wider and deeper, l provide an easier path for the oil to enter the reservoir from the circumferential groove, channel or passage way 355-36, and an easier passage to the oilreliefopening 40; and vice versa. By thus varying the dimensions of this oil-reservoir, l can govern the oil-control, and the pas# ."age of oil and other fluids past the piston rings, very effectively. This is one of the important features of my invention.

Vihen the piston slrirt is split, to provide for excessive expansion as in the case of aluminum pistons, as by a longitudinal slot 4l and a transverse slot 42 as illustrated in Fig. 16, I preferably provide a narrow dam 45, unsplit, above the` transverse slot 42 and at each end thereof between the ends of such slot and the two reservoirs 37. This `prevents the oil which is caught in the channel, groove or passageway 35-36 from being spilled out through the open slots 4l and 42.

In additionto the groove 35-36 below and in communication with the piston-ring groove 23, l preferably provide a circumferential reservoir or pocket in communication with the lower side of the next higher piston-ring groove 24. As with the groove 35-36, this second and liigher circumferential reservoir or pocket may be partly vor wholly in the ring 27 and partly4 or wholly in the land 3l; but in any-case, the land 3l preferably has a greater clearance than has either t-he land 33 or the piston skirt 22, and it may have a greater clearance than the land 32. `That part of this second and higher circumferential reservoir or pocket which is in the ring 27, if any part thereof is in such ring 27, ma take the saine varia tions of form 43, 43a, and 48", as thegrooves 36, 36 and 36 in the lower outer corner of the ring` 26; and thus needs no further description. That is, it may be a plain rabbet 43 l, 5?, 5, 78, and 9), or a chainfer (Figs. 4, 10, and 1l), or a round-bottom groove 43 (Fig. 6). In any case, for commercial reasons, the groove or pocket in the lower outer corner of the ring 27 is preferw ably the same as the groove in thelower outer corner of the ring 26 in any single engine, so that the rings 26 and 27 will be alike; this makes for convenience and for the avoidance of mistakes, invmanufacture and assembly as well as in repair. l

That part of this second circumferential reservoir orpoclret which is in the land 31 may likewise taire various forms. may be a simple rabbet groove, or pocket 44, extendeireiniferentially around upper part of such land,- as illustratedin Figs. 1, 3, 4, and 8; or-it may, take the torni ot a sininle chjanil'er 44a, as illustrated in Figs. 5 and 10; or it may take the orni of a set-bach V-bottorn'groove 44, as indicated in Fig. 1l; Aor it may take the form otaround-bottoin groove44l, as illustrated in Fig. 12, with the twoY sides of such groove, or at least the upper side, of sufficiently great clearance so that there is a free passage 'l'roin such groove or pocket into the adjacent piston-ring` groove 24. Various combinations ot grooves orinoclets in theland 31 and in the lower outer corner o' the piston ring Q7 may he used to torni the second.cireun'iferential reservoir or pocket, asn various ligures ot the drawing indicate. lt is even possible and sometiines preferable to nrovfde such cire'uinferential reservoir or poc-het merely by having; the kland 31 with sutiicient clearance fromthecylinder wall, as illustrated in Figs. Y14; and 1G', with the ring 27 a plain' ring. ln Fig. 14 the two lands 32 and 33 are shown as having' the saine clearance, while the land S11-is shown as having` a greater clearance from the cylinder wall, and the san e clearance ashas the rahbet groove 35; while in Fig;l 16, the lands 33, 32, and 31 have successivelyfgreater clearances troni the cylinder wall.-

In thosepistons which have three piston rings the top, as in Figs. 1, 3, 4, 5, 12, 14, and 16, l. preterthat at least the top piston ring should Vhe a plainpiston ring, as all these figures indica-te; hut lbelow that top plain piston ringl provide an oil-control'k arrangementror a pluralitysof oil-controls in lower piston rings and/or in the lands associated `with the loifver piston Vringe; and/or in the 'piston below the lowerlnost piston ring', for preventing the' various evils already reterred to'.I l `believe .that this arrangement ot a plain p'istonring at the top of a three-ring piston, withl an oil-control arrangementin aA lower piston ringer the land; associated therewith and Y a still lower piston ring Whether ornot withl an associated oil-control, is new with nie; and it is one ot the lieaturesot my invention, both alone and in coinbination with other things.

In the 4sanieway that the variations in the length,- depth, andV height of the oilreservoir 37v may be used to govern the oilcontrol, l may also similarly yary the shape and `size ofthe oilgroove or pocket 3G or `43 in the' krings 26- aiid 27 to ellect a siniilar .gr/manning action, cumulative with the first desired: L havel illustrated this in Fig. 13, in connection with thepiston ring 26; the pistonringv 217 and the pistonring 26 are preferably exactly alike in any Jone engineq'lhus by the tull and dotted lines at `he lower outercorner of the piston ring Fig.`13, l have shown a number of different forms which' the groove 36 inay take, includingthe very slight-bevel set-hack chanilier, set-back chani'liers with greater bevels, round-bottom giooves ol dill'erent curvature, and the simple rahbet. lly these variations, l control theahgle of thc nroovw :lace where its cylinder-engaging corner coincs in contact with the cyliiuler wall, and thus `govern the oil-control. This governingl ol the oil-control action ol the rings 2U and 27 by this variation in the shape and size of the circuni''erential pasfagcway or pocket in the lower outer corner ot such ring is one of the important leatures ol my invention.

ln all cases where there is a par! olVl the second circiunifcrential reservoir or pocket in the land ill, just the saine us when there in the circunilerential channel, groove or passageway in the piston close to the pi`- ton-ring)r groove 23, the adjacent tace oil the piston ring' above it preferable overhangs outward; as the various ligures indicate. Preferably this is always the case save in those instances where there is no partolV the cii'cuniteiential lgroove or pocket in the land 31 or in the skirt.

The operation ot the device is obvious frein what has preceded. ll'hen the piston descends, the oil on the cylinder wall freely enters the clearance space 2S) and nloves upward therein relatively to the descending,T piston,l and to a great extent is scraped oil' 'the cylinder wall 30 by the lowerinost piston ring;` :26. This scraped-elllen is forced around the cylinder through the circuni'lierential channel, `groove or inissageway 35"36 into the oil-reservoir 37, whence sonic o l" it. escapes through the relic lpassages 40. Such escape is enough to relieve any undue pressure; but not enough to ei'npty either the reservoir 3T or the circumierential channel, groove or passageway l:i-Sl(3. ',llurel'orc, sutiicicnt oil retained in these space-l, :nul in the clearance space 29, so that the piston l'loats on a lilni ol oil. lililun the piston rises, this retained oilV is Yled hach onto thc suriace of the cylinder wall. to :x `realer or less extent, thus n'uiintaining the lloatingil ellect.

Sonie o'l the oil, however. is not scraped oil' by the lowernuist `piston ring.;l 2h, hut passes by such ring. Most ot this oil which passes by is scraped oli1 by the next higher piston rinol Q7, and accumulates in the circumferential reservoir or pocket t3- 44; whence a sniall part is :ted to the cylinder wall as the piston nieves.

lllhat'ever may be the explanation, it is found that by this cm'nbination, and to a less extent hy the dillerent parts thereof separately, the evils above referred to are to a very great extenty corrected. The ainourit yof oil consuined by the engine is materially reduced. Yet the piston can operate with a large clearance, in comparison till lofi

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j with that heretofore coiisidered desirable or possible. The iioating oi' the piston on the iilm oi oil effectively prevents piston-slap; but yet neither the oil from below nor the fuel or gases from above pass the piston ring to any material extent.

I claim as my invention ll. An internal-conibustion-engine piston having near its head-end a plurality of piston-ring grooves with rigid lands between said grooves andbetween the piston-end and the adjacent groove, `said lands being directly exposed to the outside oi the complete piston, and the piston-ring-engaging walls el said grooves being substantially perpendicular to the piston axis, a land nearer the piston-end being of larger diameter than a land farther from the piston-end.

2. An internal-combustion-engine piston having near its head-end a plurality of piston-ring grooves with rigid lands between said grooves and between the piston-end and the adjacent groove, said lands being directly exposed to the outside ot the complete pistn, and the piston-ring-engaging walls of said grooves being substantially perpendicular to the piston axis, a land between grooves being of smaller diameter than the land between the piston-end and the adjacent groove.

3. In combination, a piston having a plurality of piston-ring grooves near itshead end and a rigid land between any two adjacent grooves, and a plurality or piston rings in said grooves; including a plain ring nearest the piston-end, and aplurality of pistonring grooves for other piston rings, said piston and piston rings being arranged to provide circumferential oil channels on the ring sides remote from the piston head and into which the respectively associated piston rings scrape oil, one such oil channel having free communication with piston-ring grooves on both sides oi it.

Ll. In combination, a piston having a plurality of' `piston-ring grooves near its head end and a rigid land between any two adjacent grooves, and a plurality oil piston rings in said grooves, including a plain ring nearest the piston-end, said piston and piston rings having a plurality et circmnferential oil channels associated with others of said piston. rings, one such oil channel having" free communication with piston-ring grooves on both sides of it.

5. The method of controlling the oil ilni between a piston and a cylinder wall, comprising providing a piston ring near the head-end o t the piston and a circumferential groove into which said piston ring scrapes eil, providing in the piston surface a superlicial reservoir into which said circumfertial groove feeds, and varying the dimensions ot said reservoir to control said oil lilin.

6. The method of controlling the oil film between a piston and a cylinder wall, comprising providing a piston ring near the head-end of the piston and a circumferential groove into which said piston ring scrapes oil, providing in the piston surface a superiicial reservoir into which said circumlerential groove feeds, and varying the circumferential extent of the opening between said groove and said reservoir to control said oil lilm.

In combination, a piston having a pistou-ring groove near its head, a piston ring in said piston-ring groove, said piston ring and piston being arranged so that there is a circumferential groove or passageway at that side of the piston ring which is remote from the piston head, and said piston having a superficial reservoir with which said circumferential groove or passageway communicates, the skirt of said piston being provided with one or more slots which approach close to said circumferential groove or passageway and to said superficial reservoir, said piston being provided with a superficial dam separating said slot or slots from said circumferential groove or passageway and said supercial reservoir.

8. In combination, a piston having a piston-ring groove near its head, a piston ring in said piston-ring groove, said piston ring and piston being arranged so that there is a c1 rcuin'ferential groove or passageway at that side ot the piston ring which is remote from -the piston head, and said piston having a reservoir with which said circumferential groove or passageway communicates, the skirt of said piston being provided with one or .more slots which approach close to said circumterential groove or passageway, said piston being provided with a superficial dam separating said slot or slots from said circumferential groove or passageway.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand at Indianapolis, Indiana, this 4th day of January, A. D. one thousand nine hundred and twenty-four.

CHARLES C. IIANCl-l. 

